Nov 05, 2024 
Mathangi “Maya” Arulpragasam, otherwise known as M.I.A., is a rapper, record producer, visual artist, filmmaker, and activist. Born in London to Sri Lankan parents, at a young age, her family experienced civil war and displacement. These life events had a significant influence on her artistic journey.
In the early 2000s, her music career reached international stardom. She received a Grammy nomination for Record of the Year in 2009 for “Paper Planes”. She also earned an Academy Award nomination for the song “O… Saya” from the movie “Slumdog Millionaire”. Her distinct music merges her heritage roots with world sounds, layering different styles; such as electronic music, hip hop, dancehall, Indian drums, Angola’s kuduro rhythms, Brazilian funk, and UK’s bass. Her politically charged lyrics about genocide, guerilla warfare, immigration, and mass surveillance landed her in the center of controversy, to the point where she was removed from various platforms. Nowadays, her anti-conformist views have shifted into a new artistic endeavor with her recently launched clothing brand, OHMNI.
OHMNI is a functional anti-surveillance streetwear line with a futuristic aesthetic. It is designed to counteract invasive tracking from big tech companies and government. As such, it brands itself as the armor of the modern knight in the age of modern technological warfare. The clothing line promises to provide a greater degree of privacy protection in times of cyber threats and attacks, while keeping your body and your data secure. The garments contain silver and copper fibers that block radiation from phones, Wi-Fi, 5G, and cell towers. Each piece is lab tested and certified to deflect electromagnetic fields with up to 99.999% effectiveness.
The edgy collection features hoodies, hats, shirts, ponchos, pants, boxers, and bags. It uses Original Silver Street Shield engineered textiles to protect against these invisible dangers. For example, the Faraday cage material used in the anti trace phone case, and the trackless track pants’ pockets work like a VPN, ensuring that hackers cannot hack or trace your device. Furthermore, the anti facial recognition soft wear is a 5G proof burka, which safeguards your identity from facial recognition technology. Also, the protency fitted boxers claim to protect the reproductive organs, and as such, future generations.
M.I.A. has been a symbol of resistance, a visionary, a free thinker, and unapologetically political throughout her career. The musician wants you to join the revolution with protecting clothing in order to restore autonomy and freedom in today’s digital world.
“If the conspiracy theorists are wrong, good for you, you own some beautiful clothes made with pure silver and precious metals. But, if they are right, you just might have saved the future of humanity.” – OHMNI’s mission statement.
For more information, visit www.ohmni.com
Photo credit via OHMNI's website